


it seems unforgiving when a good thing ends

by iSleepy



Category: Lost in Translation (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Mainly fluff really, Minsoo-centric, found family trope, four outcasts fighting to "save" the world?, they're just kids actually they can't save the world alone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:27:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28660971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iSleepy/pseuds/iSleepy
Summary: Time is a constant struggle. It tugs and ebbs at Minsoo's pride without a moment's notice, eating away at what confidence he can gather. It clouds his judgement, forces hesitation into his step, and laughs when he loses (because he always loses). It chokes him of his breath until he's crying on the floor.It doesn't silence. Not once.And yet...They're together.Shouldn't that be enough..?
Relationships: platonic - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11





	it seems unforgiving when a good thing ends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [i_was_human](https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_was_human/gifts).



> when reading this fic, i highly suggest listening to the demo of "Time Adventure" by Rebecca Sugar (here's a link if you would like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9_vgs5pIQM )
> 
> hope you enjoy!

_time is an illusion that helps things make sense_

_so they’re always living in the present tense_

The grass field stretches out for miles, covered in a collection of weeds and dandelions and bright sunflowers that all sway to and fro in tangem. The sky dances above it all in shades of dimming pink, purples, blues, each color painted with puffed clouds. It’s late enough for stars to twinkle downwards at the Earth. The grandness of it all makes Minsoo feel so small - they’re just four small boys in such a large world. What they do doesn’t affect anything but themselves and this wind whipped field.

Honestly, Minsoo hates his inability to help more than anything.

“Minsoo-ah, hurry up!”

His dull thoughts are interrupted by a familiar voice shouting further beyond the field. Groggily, Minsoo brushes sleep away from his eyes and stands up from the ground. Grass strands and burrs stick to his hoodie, but he’s sure any attempts to remove them will just gather more somehow, so he ignores them and rushes to greet the trio with a smile. Besides, he’s sure more weeds have collected in the clump of pastel purple on his head. 

If anyone asks, he’ll say it’s an aesthetic.

“Training?” he inquires once he reaches the others. Daehyun seems to be in conversation with Jaewon, so Dongho is the only one who nods. His movement is abrupt and distant, as per usual, but Daehyun notices a competitive twitch grace his lips. Stiffening in preparation, he watches the taller’s hand slide to his pocket and slip around the handle of a wooden blade. 

In mere moments, Dongho jabs forward, dull tree stump aimed for Minsoo’s stomach, and the boy pulls out a sword of his own. It goes in slow motion - Minsoo sees the movement and rushes to unsheathe his sword, only to barely pull it out in time to block. 

The wooden tools clank upon impact. Minsoo swallows back on the mounting relief while Dongho returns his weapon.

“You’ve improved,” his opponent comments quietly, eyes twinkling with something that looks similar to pride. Minsoo’s heart swells with a kind of warmth he’s recently missed - pride is not an emotion he’s been graced with recently. He hopes his eyes aren’t deceiving him.

“But you’re too lost in your own head.”

His grin falls short. Slowly, _oh so painfully slowly_ , Minsoo’s eyes move to land on the blade just below his neck. The warmth inside evaporates in an instant, replaced by a dull aching of shame that pools heat into his cheeks and forces his eyes to glue to the ground. Frustration follows his shame in waves, and the only way he can combat these overflowing emotions is to clutch the hilt of his sword until his knuckles go white.

Foolish. He’s so _foolish_ for thinking he could do something for once. Foolish for believing that he was getting better, for-for _trying_ to get better-

A hand brushes the top of his head and Minsoo abruptly looks up, hands trembling with a blur in his eyes he can’t quite clear. The aching in his chest burns now, a frigid cold eating away at his confidence faster than he can blink the tears away, because he’s _shameful_. 

Useless.

“You--er, you did well. We’re both rusty,” the voice of the hand murmurs. His words are gruff, laced with forced sympathy. Minsoo’s resisted long enough, he finally gives in and stares at the eyes of the voice. Dongho, professional at dark, empty glazed stares, constantly silenced with disappointed anger, has a shocking amount of genuinity beyond the distant look and Minsoo chokes on his confusion. “Don’t be so harsh on yourself.”

Dumbstruck, Minsoo can only nod, rubbing his eyes with the edge of his sleeves.

“Yeah. I--okay.”

It doesn’t even matter, really. Nothing they do actually changes anything. They train, work hard, prepare, and still-

They are alone. Nothing they do helps anyone.

_Nothing he does will ever help anyone._

“We’ll practice later,” Dongho states, Minsoo’s thoughts scattered yet again. Sharp, fox eyes stare at the sky and silhouettes beyond, drawing Minsoo to stare as well. “The sun’s setting now. We should meet back up with the others.”

Minsoo winces at his lost pride, watching as Dongho slides his weapon back onto his side without glancing away from the sun.

“Right,” he absentmindedly replies. Hands shuffling back to his own pockets, he takes a few steps forwards and lets silence create an awkward tension. Thick as it may be, he decides, against his better judgement, to pipe up because he can’t stand the silence. “Hey, um--thanks. Thanks for-well, for, you know, just… helping me. Sorry I was so distracted. Today’s just one of those days, ya know?” He cracks a lopsided smile at that, hoping to catch some kind of reaction back.

Dongho doesn’t immediately reply. 

The cold embarrassment strikes Minsoo again instantaneously, this time sending his brain into a panic that screams, questions, and blames him with each word. The world spins with a dizzying shame and he takes a breath to steady himself.

“No problem.”

“I-”

“You don’t need to excuse yourself,” Dongho assures, voice still distant but _somehow_ different this time. Regardless of his tone, he keeps walking forward and Minsoo can’t find the strength to argue, so he just freezes and watches with wide eyes. “Like you said, you’ll do better on better days.” The older pauses, then points to his ankle, back still facing Minsoo. Although the ankle is covered with the ends of his pants, bandages poke out from beneath, crimson soaking through with fresh blood.

“I’m no different, today.”

And with that, he leaves Minsoo to his thoughts as though that explains everything. The two other silhouettes greet Dongho with frantic waving and a tight hug from Daehyun. Their lips move, but the words sound muffled. Distant.

Minsoo reaches out, but falls silent.

_Useless._

_Weak._

_Powerless._

It’s strange. Minsoo still hates his uselessness, still hates how weak he’s become compared to the rest of his group, or how people always have to rescue _him_ when worst comes to worst. But… 

At the end of the day, those words don’t affect him in the same way anymore.

His gaze traces the skyline, a world now painted in shadows of purple and deep blue, and slowly moves his sight towards the shadowed silhouettes, only a few feet away now as he continues to walk towards him. Always only a word away if he needs them. He doesn’t need to save the world to be okay, bittersweet smiles forcing a bubbly laughter to rise out of him.

The other members surrounding him pause at such a random outburst. But, it doesn’t take long for Daehyun to join in with his signature, high-pitched giggles, and Jaewon falls in suit quickly after, hand covering soft and silent laughter. Even Dongho joins in, a strange serene treat. The weeds tremble in the wind, the stars twinkle in the night, and-it’s just- 

He has his family. He may not be saving the world, but _really?_

That’s all he needs.

_it seems unforgiving when a good thing ends_

_but you and I will always be back then_

**Author's Note:**

> hi, hi!! hello!  
> @i_was_human convinced me to post this and i'm still not so sure of how i feel about it, but i wrote it for her because she is an incredible human being and, well, she's family to me  
> i hope i showed how much that in itself means to me and also hope whoever reads this enjoyed (if anyone did haha)!!
> 
> i know this won't get many hits, so thank you so so much for reading!!


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